GCU Forum - Disappointed in order

Kathy_131728

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Disappointed in order
Sep 20^th, 2010, 11:10am

I am surprised to find myself starting a thread that says Disappointed in Order because the quality of the cards from GCU have always been superb (I have been creating and ordering cards for over three years now). However, on 9/16 I placed an order for one of my flower cards and just received it today. The color is totally wrong! In all honesty it reminds me of looking through my car windshield when the windshield is muddy. The only way to describe the card is to say the colors look all washed out. Needless to say, I will not be using this card and in light of other artists having mentioned this lately I find myself really concerned about the quality of the product coming from the new printer. How does a card like this pass quality control?
I hope things will be fixed soon as the thing which always separated GCU from everyone else was the quality of the finished product.
Kathy

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Linda_132742

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Re: Disappointed in order
Reply #1 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 11:22am

I too am concerned as over the "nebulous" period I had 2 large orders. I would be surprised if GCU didn't contact the folks who ordered offering new cards. If they, GCCU ,doesn't, it is certainly very bad business practice, and I have never known gcu to be that way. It has been, by experience with GCU that they offer 30 day guarantee, or something such. So far, a few years, it has been my pleasure to be a part of this community, and I have every hope that it will be. Glitches happen, we adjust, life moves on . Looking forward to more on this thread.
Linda

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Tanya_135475 Gold Member artist Posts: 1008	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #2 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 11:35am That is a big worry, I ordered 5 for a friend, hope the colours are as they should be, we are on RGB but your problem sounds like we are using CMYK wich is horriblibly dull. Will also be interested in more input as my cards are very colour oriantated Hugs Moonie
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Shaun_131054 GCU Administrator artist Posts: 2482	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #3 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 11:42am Kathy, thanks for letting us know, can you send the cards back to us so we can address this with our fulfillment partner? We'll let them know right away, but it helps to have a card in hand that we can show them. Shaun
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Kathy_131728 Gold Member artist Posts: 610	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #4 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 11:49am Yes, I can send it back. I will also include the photo printed on my printer to show the color I was expecting. What address should I use and to whose attention? Kathy
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_131847 GCU Newbies artist Posts: 50	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #5 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:06pm This is serious, I always get concern when a new printer in town is handling out our printed cards production. Why to change a perfectly working printing quality for something like this??? Puzzles me!
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Tanya_131398 Senior Member artist Posts: 388	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #6 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:16pm I had a very important client order 25 custom Christmas cards on the 18th. Do I need to be worried about their order?
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Shaun_131054

GCU Administrator
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Posts: 2482

Re: Disappointed in order
Reply #7 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:28pm

Quote from Kathy_131728 on Sep 20^th, 2010, 11:49am:

Yes, I can send it back. I will also include the photo printed on my printer to show the color I was expecting. What address should I use and to whose attention?
Kathy

Thank you Kathy, you can send them to:
GreetingCardUniverse.com
Attn: Shaun
2694 Bishop Drive
Suite 211
San Ramon Ca 94503

I'm also going to be placing a test order today, to compare to the card you're sending back, so you may see a sales notification for that card.

Shaun

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Pamela_135500

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Posts: 1945

Re: Disappointed in order
Reply #8 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:31pm

Shaun,
On the subject of printing

I thought RGB=web/monitor color and CMYK=print

Is the printer converting to CMYK to print?
or is their printer able to reproduce RGB colors close to the range we see on screen?

I try to design so that if they print in CMYK there won't be much of a color shift, but it does often make for a duller product than one sees onscreen, yet there are fewer surprises at print time!
Any info would be helpful to all of us artists to assist us in providing a quality print product. Denise had asked print questions recently, I don't recall seeing an answer Huh

Also is there a printer profile available to assist in proofing?

Pamela

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Tanya_135475 Gold Member artist Posts: 1008	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #9 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:34pm I hope they are not CMYK got me mega worried now........ only time I ever used that was for newspaper printing, I was hoping most printers who print on demand do so using RGB if it is not the case then I need to redo most of my cards, or my purples will be blue and so on.
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Pamela_135500

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Posts: 1945

Re: Disappointed in order
Reply #10 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:43pm

Sorry Tanya,
Didn't mean to get you worried. kiss

They have always said RGB ( in the upload files page) so I bet it's OK. My cards have so far been good and I am no print expert.
I would just like a clear answer so I can design confidently and establish what range of colors are available to work in.
I think it would be helpful to others also. Cheesy

Pamela

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David_134612 Full Member artist Posts: 231	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #11 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:50pm kathy There were color issues on cards printed 9/9 & 9/10 and maybe 9/13 that is mentioned in other threads but i ordered cards printed 9/14 and 9/16 that came out perfectly. Check the date cards were printed
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Shaun_131054

GCU Administrator
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Posts: 2482

Re: Disappointed in order
Reply #12 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:53pm

Quote from Kathy_131728 on Sep 20^th, 2010, 11:10am:

I am surprised to find myself starting a thread that says Disappointed in Order because the quality of the cards from GCU have always been superb (I have been creating and ordering cards for over three years now). However, on 9/16 I placed an order for one of my flower cards and just received it today. The color is totally wrong! In all honesty it reminds me of looking through my car windshield when the windshield is muddy. The only way to describe the card is to say the colors look all washed out. Needless to say, I will not be using this card and in light of other artists having mentioned this lately I find myself really concerned about the quality of the product coming from the new printer. How does a card like this pass quality control?
I hope things will be fixed soon as the thing which always separated GCU from everyone else was the quality of the finished product.
Kathy

Kathy,

Not sure if you saw my post last week about our fulfillment partner switching over to backup printers because of power issues, you can see the post here:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/forum/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1284235880/16#16

Your order was placed during the period when the backup printers were being used. I just got off the phone with our fulfillment partner and they confirmed that their standard printers are back online. I've reordered this card for you and it will be shipping out tomorrow. Please keep us posted on the quality.

Shaun

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Tanya_131398 Senior Member artist Posts: 388	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #13 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:53pm Shaun, what day did they get their regular printers back on line?
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Shaun_131054 GCU Administrator artist Posts: 2482	Re: Disappointed in order Reply #14 - Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:57pm Quote from Tanya_131398 on Sep 20^th, 2010, 12:53pm: Shaun, what day did they get their regular printers back on line? Friday evening (17th)
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